Lay Bare
by Haruchiha231
Summary: It’s been five years since I last saw him. Since things ended between us. Here he was again, like a rekindled flame - only this time engaged to another woman. She probably deserves better. I know I did. But, a lot can happen in five years. Maybe he’s changed. Sasusaku. NaruHina. ShikaIno. Some SasuKarin. Takes place in New York. Lemons.
1. Chapter One - Gateway

_"Okay, then. I'm leaving"_

_"Fine. Just go." I took a couple steps back and stumbled onto the edge of our bed. I held my head up between my hands, my hair falling over my face. Tears rolled through my fingers and onto my thighs. For a second, I wanted to run after him, but something kept me glued to the bed. _

_Suddenly the door opens, and he strides back in, never once looking at me. He walks over to his end table and grabs his phone. I find the will to stand and reach out for his arm, but I can't seem to get a grasp. I walk faster towards him as he walks out the door, but his steps far outweigh mine. My feet feel heavy, and slowly but surely he leaves my sight. I try my best to follow him, but he's in the car by the time I get to the front entrance. _

_"Wait! Please. Don't go." I call out. The headlights of his SUV blind me as he backs out of the driveway. Why can't I move? Why couldn't I reach him? I need to get to him. Now. But I can't._

_It doesn't matter. He'll be back. He always comes back._

I shot out of bed, the back of my head slick with sweat. I look at the clock. 5:53am.

Great. Seven minutes before my alarm was supposed to wake me. I switch my alarm off and sprawl out on the bed, trying my best to relive my dream. Nightmare. Whatever you want to call that.

Why do I find myself dreaming of him, again? Sure we had a past. But that's just it, a past. No future in sight. Our time as a couple was done.

I will myself to get out of bed, not wanting to run late for work. The light in my bathroom flickers when I flip the light switch on. I need to remember to replace the bulb before it completely goes out. I grab my brush and try my best to pull my pink hair into a nice sleek ponytail. A little eyeliner and mascara are all I put in my face this morning.

I brushed my teeth and ran into the kitchen to grab myself a quick bite from the fridge. Hmm. Bagels or yogurt. My phone vibrates and it's my best friend, jittery as ever.

"Good morning, Sakura! I'm on my way." It reads. Ino lives in the same apartment building as me. We thought about becoming roommates, but her boyfriend Shikamaru insisted that she come live with him. I was surprised it took him so long to ask her, with them being together for four years prior. I was happy for her. I mean who wouldn't be when your best friend only lives a couple doors down from you?

"Give me 5 minutes!" I reply. I snag the yogurt from the top shelf and hurry to find my clothes. Luckily I arrange all of my outfits for the whole week. Today's outfit consisted of a simple charcoal gray pencil skirt, a plain blush blouse, and nude heels. I hear a knock on my front door as I struggle to put my heels on.

I grab my purse and head to the door. Ino welcomes me with a nice bright smile, as always. She hands me a coffee from a local café - a simple vanilla latté.

"I don't know how you're always so cheery in the morning." I stated as I took a cautious sip of my morning fuel.

"Well someone's got to even out all the grumpiness from you in the morning. I'm the yin to your yang." Ino chucked as she took a big gulp from her hot drink. Ino dresses well. She work a business casual dress that hugged her in all the right places. It was a light purple, which made her blond hair stand out. Men always ogled her. She swears they're all looking at me instead, but I know she knows otherwise. Ino always has this confidence to her, which I admired. She was the complete opposite of me. My true Yin best friend.

We walked and talked all the way to work. Although we worked in the same building, our jobs were on completely different floors. Ino works as a real estate agent for HH Realty on the 18th floor. She's worked there for about three years now, and needless to say, she loves it. I work as a receptionist for a marketing firm on the 13th floor. It's not the most ideal job for me, but it pays the bills.

We push through the revolving doors one at a time and head towards the elevator. Our heels clacked against the sparkly marble flooring of the main lobby. The building had a modern look to it. Towering white walls with grey trim all around. Windows spread from floor to ceiling, providing lots of natural light that really made the floors shine.

The elevator bell chimed and we stepped into the cart. Buttons thirteen and eighteen were pushed and off we went.

"Well, Sakura, I hope you have a wonderful day today. I was thinking about going out for lunch today. Did you want to join me? I was thinking about trying Fabiano's." Ino asked as she took the last sip of her now lukewarm coffee.

"Oh, I've heard great things about that place since it opened a couple of months ago. I'd love to go with you." I said.

"Hey, did you know that someone bought out this building over the weekend? According to some coworkers of mine, it's this hot, young billionaire. Ya know, y'all, dark and handsome? I can't remember the name of his enterprise. Maybe we can hook ya up eh?" Ino joked. I rolled my eyes at her. Oh Ino, always trying to set me up with any sexy man she could find.

"No, I didn't know that. I'm sure we'll see something in the paper at some point." I pointed out. The elevator stopped at the 13th floor. I said my goodbyes to Ino and stepped out, making a right turn. I made my way down the hall and stepped through the frosted glass doors. Past the doors revealed my throne. Well, my desk, but whatever. I made my way around the long sleek desk and switched on my computer. I took the phone off of voicemail and logged into my account in the computer. Two emails popped up on my notifications. One was spam, and one was from my boss.

_Team,_

_Lunch will be catered by the CEO of Uchiha Enterprises today. For any who are unaware, the Gateway building was bought out over the weekend by Mr. Uchiha. He is scheduled to stop by our office today, and I expect everyone to give him a warm welcome. _

_Thanks,_

_Chan Lowe_

Wait.

Uchiha?

The phone rings suddenly, making me jump out my seat. I quickly pull myself together and answer with my usual dialogue.

"Thank you for calling LPL Marketing, this is Sakura. How may I direct your call?" I asked in a cheery tone.

"Sakura, it's been a long time." That voice was unforgettable. That smooth and deep tone that rattled me out of my sleep this morning.

"S-Sasuke..." I muttered. There was a short pause, though it seemed to go on forever. I needed to pull myself together, and fast.

"I'm sorry, which department did you want me to transfer you to?" I questioned, trying my best to keep my composure. Butterflies were almost bursting out of my stomach. It's been almost five years since I'd heard his voice.

"I don't need to be transferred. I wanted to give you a call to let you know that I'll be in a little earlier than expected. Around 11:30 or so. I hope that's not too much trouble." He seemed to be asking a question but I knew he didn't need an answer. I finally found the words to respond, keeping it professional.

"Of course not, Mr. Uchiha. We are very much looking forward to spending lunch with you. I will let Mr. Lowe know that you'll be in early." I said

"Thank you, Sakura. I look forward to seeing you, as well." He purred. He hung up the phone on his end and I kept the phone glued to my ear, frozen.

What. The. Hell.


	2. Chapter Two - Not Happening

I slid my phone out of my desk and shot Ino a quick text.

_"OH MY GOD. You'll never guess who the new owner of Gateway is. Talk about it during lunch." _I stare at the message for a couple more seconds before pressing send. Lunch could not come fast enough.

I feel a sudden wave of nausea hit my body and I stand up and head to the restroom to take a quick breather. I push through the doorway and head straight for the sink. Thank goodness I didn't put much make up on today. I splashed a little water on my face and gently dabbed it dry. The coolness from the water made me feel a little better.

Why was he here? How did he know I worked here, let alone at reception?

My phone buzzed and it was a reply from Ino. "_Ugh you know I hate waiting for news like this! See you in a couple of hours."_ I chuckled at her response. She never could learn to be patient, could she?

On the way back to my desk, I passed by Mr. Lowe.

"Mr. Lowe, I know the new owner is coming by for lunch today, but I have a personal matter that I need to tend to over my lunch break. I hope that won't be too much trouble." I inwardly pleaded that he would just let me go no questions asked, and he obliged.

"Of course, Sakura! Just try and at least say hello to the fellow, will you?" He replied.

"Oh of course. I will. Thank you!" I rushed back to my desk and got back to work.

-

-

-

Lunch was in thirty minutes, and I was getting more anxious by the second. Sasuke said that he would be here a little earlier. Maybe I'd be able to leave early enough and miss him.

It got to be 11:45 before I decided to leave. No sign of Sasuke, thank God. My bag was sitting on the floor underneath my desk and I picked it up. I fumbled through it and grabbed my phone - texting Ino again.

"On my way! Meet you in the lobby" I sent. She immediately replied. I placed my phone back into my purse and headed towards the elevator. I pushed the bottom to go down, and the doors opened shortly after. I stepped in and leaned against the wall of the cart.

The elevator read L1 once I reached the lobby floor. I pushed off of the wall and moved closer to the doors. The doors started to open, and I began to step out, but stopped once I realized someone was trying to walk in.

"Well, long time no see, Sakura." A familiar voice hummed. My head shot up, I could feel the shock on my face. _Jeez, Sakura pull yourself together!_

Before me was a man I once shared every day with. Shared a bed with every night. I looked into his dark eyes and saw a completely different person. His eyes had a gleam to them. I wasn't used to seeing that. He used to always keep to himself, lost in his own self. Lost in his sadness. He pushed everyone, including me, away.

Sasuke was an attractive man. A VERY attractive man. He towered over me. His jet black hair fell gracefully around his face, just above his shoulders. His suit, professionally tailored, hugged his body in all the right places. Even with a three-piece suit on, you could tell he was built.

Sasuke raises an eyebrow at me, "Are you going to stay in there forever?" He wondered. I quickly stepped out, my eyes glued to the floor. He stared at me as I moved past him. Suddenly, I was pulled back. I looked down at my wrist to see Sasuke's hand around it. My eyebrows furrowed and I swiped my hand away.

"What is your problem? You can't just grab somebody like that." I scolded.

"I just want to talk to you. You seem to be avoiding me." He guessed. And he guessed right. I didn't want to see him, let alone have a chat with him.

"Well it's not everyday that my ex buys the building I work at and throws a luncheon for my whole company to welcome himself. So, yeah, I am avoiding you." I huffed, crossing my arms and taking a step back. I was annoyed at this point. What did he think he was doing?

"Okay, well, I'd still like to catch up with you. If you don't mind." He smiled a sweet smile and I almost lost my balance. I hadn't seen his smile in a very long time. It was almost as if I was dreaming. What came out of my mouth next, shocked me.

"Maybe we can have lunch some other time. Preferably not where I work. I'm going to have lunch with Ino today. You remember her don't you?" I asked.

"Of course I do. I spoke to her right after I called you on your office phone." He smirked.

Wait, what?

"Oh. Well, I'll see you around." I waved and sped off to find my blondie. I could feel his onyx eyes piercing my back as I huffed away.

Ino was waiting by the revolving doors in the lobby. She was smiling down at her phone, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"You knew?!" I exclaimed, throwing my hand up in the air towards her. She picked her head up and I walked right past her and into the revolving doors. The suns warmth felt good against my skin. I took a couple of deep breaths in and tried to calm down.

"Sakura, wait! I'm sorry I didn't think you'd be so angry. He said he was really excited to see you." Ino apologized.

"Ino, you know how things ended with us. Why would you think I'd be anything other than angry?" I yelled. I shot a look at her and instantly felt bad. Ugh.

"I'm sorry. I don't mean to yell at you. I'm just pushing my feelings onto you." I grabbed my ponytail and picked at my split ends. "I don't even feel like eating anymore, I've lost my appetite." I sighed.

"We don't have to go out for lunch, Sakura. It's okay! There's always another day." Ino grinned at me. She was always trying to make me happy. Her optimism really kept me going, even in my darkest days.

"Are you sure? I'm sorry, seeing him just made me feel so uneasy." I apologized.

"Of course, I understand! But, are you going to go back up to the office since he's up there for lunch?" She wondered.

"No. I could really use the fresh air. I'm going to take a walk instead." I smiled. Fresh air would do me good. I waved bye to my friend and we went in opposite directions.

The sound of heels against the concrete and the blaring horns of cars going by was white noise to me. New York wasn't just a city, no, it was a way of life. This city wasn't made for everybody, and I loved that.

I made my way to a nearby park and found a bench to spend my lunch break on. I scrolled through my phone and checked my social media. I had to get Sasuke out of my head, and right now, this was the only way I knew how. I clicked on "Trending Topics" and kept on with the scrolling.

"Oh. My. God." I gasped at the image I saw. I read the title maybe ten times. "_Young Uchiha gets ENGAGED!" _There was a picture at the top of the article, Sasuke walked along a sidewalk, hand in hand with a red-haired woman. She was smiling at him, and he did the same. I hesitated at first, but decided to skim over the article anyways.

_"New York's young billionaire Sasuke Uchiha finally proposes to long time girlfriend Karin." _

I read a couple more sentences of the article before turning my screen off. My eyes started to water. Why am I crying? Why does this hurt? I shouldn't care about him. He's not mine to care for anymore.

I couldn't help myself and opened the article back up. I scrolled through the other pictures of the young couple. There was another picture of them. They were both dressed up and all snuggled up with each other around a big table. It looked like a formal gathering, probably just business. Another picture was one of them looking into the camera. Her hand rested against his chest and her head against his shoulder. His hand was wrapped tightly around her waist and the other in his pocket. Both of them showed off big cheesy grins.

With each picture I saw I grew more and more upset. What was going on with me. I mean, surely I don't have feelings for him anymore. No. I know I don't.

Oh, gosh. This is not happening.


	3. Chapter Three - The Other Woman

I came back from lunch to find a few employees cleaning up the break room. I scanned the rest of the office, Sasuke was no where in sight. I suddenly let out a long sigh, not realizing that I was holding my breath. Just four more hours until the day was done.

-

-

-

I shut down my computer and turned off the lights at the front of the office. There were still a couple more co workers in the back, so I didn't lock the door behind me.

I was halfway through with my elevator ride when my phone buzzed: "I'm in the lobby, let's catch up." It was from a number I did not recognize. Curious, I replied back.

"Please tell me this isn't who I think it is?" I messaged back. I stared at the bright screen, secretly wanting it to be Sasuke.

"Who else could it be?" They replied. I rolled my eyes and put my phone back in my purse. The elevator came to a halt and so took a deep breath in as the doors opened. I made a bee line for the lobby doors, careful not to let my eyes stray away from them.

Sasuke stepped into view and I came to a stop a few feet in front of him. He stood there, staring, and I grew impatient. I closed the distance between us and looked up at him while crossing my arms. He raised an eyebrow at me.

"Why do we need to catch up?" I cocked my head to the side, anticipating his answer.

"I just...want to talk to you." He confessed. He took a step back and sighed heavily. He ran one hand along the back of his neck, almost as if he was embarrassed at what he said.

"Oh, okay. Does your fiancé know that you're trying to get in touch with your ex-girlfriend? How did you get my number anyway?" I shot him a look of disgust, and he seemed a little offended. He pushed his hands into his pockets and licked his lips.

"Please, don't be like that. Ino gave me your number." I cursed inwardly at my friend, I'd have a nice discussion with her later. I took a look at my watch and told him the conversation was over. I stepped past him, only for him to grab me by the wrist, yet again. At this point, I was fuming. I whipped around and yanked my hand away. I opened my mouth to curse at the bastard but someone beat me to it.

"Sasuke! There you are!" A bright red-headed woman stepped into view. "I went all the way up to your office just to find it closed already." She smiled a beautiful smile. She was about as tall as Sasuke. Slender and pale, too.

Sasuke took a step back from me and held out his arm to her as she came close to him. He held onto her by the small of her back and kissed her forehead.

"I'm sorry, Karin. I forgot to text you that I was headed out early." He mentioned. She smiled and accepted his little apology. Her head turned in my direction and introduced herself.

"Hi, I'm Karin, Sasuke's fiancé. Sorry to barge in on your conversation." She held out her hand to me and I reached out to grab it. I gave her a small smile and assured her she was perfectly fine.

"It's very nice to meet you, Karin! My name is Sakura. I work here at LPL Marketing on the 13th floor." I managed to get a glimpse of Sasuke as Karin and I carried on with our small talk. He looked in a different direction, as if he was trying to avoid us altogether. I guess he never thought that his former lover and current one would ever meet. A tiny smirk appeared on my face, completely satisfied with his discomfort.

A few more moments went by, and Karin and I said our goodbyes to each other. I waved to the couple standing in the lobby as I moved through the revolving doors. The heat hit me like a wave, and I sighed. What a day.

-

-

-

The warmth of the water beating down against my back calmed me. I ran my hands through my shampoo covered hair. I tilted my head back to rinse it out. In the background, I could hear my phone ringing over and over. Annoyed by the constant ringtone, I ended my shower earlier than I'd have liked. I wrung my hair out before wrapping it into a towel. I snagged another towel and wrapped it around my damp body. I walked over to my phone to see 4 missed calls from none other than Sasuke Uchiha. I didn't bother to call back.

I walked over to my closet and grabbed a lavender sleepwear slip. The silky garment felt cool against my fresh and clean skin. I removed the towel from my head and walked back into the bathroom, pulling out my hair dryer. My thoughts drifted back to memories of Sasuke and I before we separated:

_The sun peered through the curtains of our bedroom. I winced as the light made its way to my face. My sight was blurry as I tried to adjust to the morning light. I stretched my arms out and glanced over my shoulder to find Sasuke still sleeping soundly. I fully turned over and stared at the beautiful sight before me. Sasuke faced my direction, his face so relaxed and his lips slightly parted. That dark hair of his fell perfectly around his face. He rested his head on one arm and the other underneath his pillow. _

_Oh how I loved this beautiful, sexy man. _

_I reached out to move a strand of hair out of his face, and he reacted to my touch. I tensed as he began to wake. Dark irises met with mine and a smile suddenly appeared on my face. He smiled back._

_"Good morning, love." He murmured with a tender smile plastered on his lips. The raspiness in his voice instantly turned me on. My eyes glazed over, my hands yearning to glide across his muscular body. He sensed my hunger and closed the distance between us. He pulled me closer to him and pulled my leg over his. Our noses barely touched as we stared into each other's eyes for a brief moment before sharing a small kiss. _

_"Hmmm, good morning, Sasuke." I ran my hand through his hair and breathed in his manly scent. I pressed my lips against his once more and felt him pull me in even closer. He shifted his body and in a flash, I was lying beneath him. He hoisted his upper body by his elbows in either side of my head. He dipped his head down and tilted my head to the left, kissing my neck over and over. He gently glided his hands across my body, sending chills down my spine. _

_His fingertips met with the lining of my panties, and I gasped. I grabbed his face with both hands and pulled his lips to mine. I couldn't get enough. I wanted more. I pushed my body against his, sending him any signal I could to let him know what I wanted. His hand slipped through my panties and-_

_*_

I jolted back into reality. My hair was well dried by now, so I shut off my blow dryer and put it away. I rubbed my eyes and walked over to my bed. I grabbed the remote to the tv and switched it on. The coolness from the sheets woke me up a little, but I settled into my bed fast. I flipped through the channels and finally settled on the cooking channel. My phone lit up and I hesitated to look at it for a moment, but picked the device up, anyways.

Just a spam email was all it was. I felt slightly disappointed that it wasn't a text from Sasuke.

What am I thinking? He's an engaged man. He wasn't mine. He couldn't be mine. I wouldn't let that happen.

Moments after, I was fast asleep.

-

-

-

I was thirty minutes late to work this morning. I cursed inwardly at myself for forgetting to set my alarm before getting into bed. A fellow coworker covered the front desk for me until I got there, and I thanked her profusely.

"I snagged you a coffee from the break room, thought you might need it. Oh, some woman came by a few minutes ago asking for you. I can't remember her name though. She said she's be back in an hour." She said. I gave her a curious look regarding her last comment. I wonder who would stop by this early in the morning. Probably Ino wondering why I didn't walk with her to work this morning. I shrugged it off and happily accepted the coffee from my coworker. I'd have to repay her for that later.

I kept peering at the front doors. My patience wore thin as I waited for the mystery person looking for me this morning. Thinking of ways to pass some time by, I went to the restroom.

A few minutes later, I pushed the bathroom doors open and headed back towards my desk. I saw the same coworker, Mai, talking to a woman at my desk. It was Karin. As if sensing my presence, both women turned their heads towards me. Mai smiled and ushered Karin in my direction. Karin made her way towards me, and I suddenly felt uneasy. I managed to break a smile.

"Karin! What a surprise! How are you this morning?" I greeted, holding my hand out for her to shake. Her arm never reached out, and the greeting took a negative turn. I awkwardly put my hand back at my side and asked her why she was here. She got closer to me and spoke in a hushed tone.

"Do you want to explain to me why MY fiancé is calling you late at night? Multiples times at that?" She spat out, crossing her arms and looking me up and down. I could tell she was silently judging me. I took a step back and threw words back at her.

"Don't you think you should be asking YOUR fiancé that question?" I answered. She responded with a displeased look and glared at me, not happy with my answer.

"I don't know who you think you are, lady, but you need to stay the hell away from Sasuke. You have no idea who you're dealing with." She pointed her finger and me, almost scolding me like a child. I raised my eyebrows, surprised at her immaturity. Anger suddenly raged through me.

"I'm sure Sasuke has plenty of women ogling over him, but I can assure you that I'm not one of them. In fact, I've been trying to avoid him. So why don't you take your ass to the top of this building and point fingers at the man who's trying to get in touch with ME." I snapped. I pointed my finger towards the door and stared at her as she showed herself out. She pulled the door open and turned back to look at me.

"Get. Out." I demanded. Steam practically leaking through my ears. She rolled her eyes at me and pushed herself out. What. A. Child.

I sighed heavily and rubbed my hand against my forehead. I peered up to see several employees staring at me, frozen. I help my hands up in defense.

"Nope. I'm not talking about it so don't even ask." I called out. Some employees continued to stare while others made their way back to their stations. I felt my face glow red from embarrassment. I hurried to my chair and sank into it, wanting this dreaded day to end.

-

-

-

I unlocked the door to my apartment and stepped inside, my steps heavy. My purse dropped to the floor, and I kicked my heels off. I closed the door behind and slid down against it until my butt hit the floor. I buried my face into my hands, ready to go to bed.

I heard my phone buzzing in my purse, and I fumbled through it to find it. I looked at the dimmed screen to see a text from Ino.

"Girl what happened to you today?!" I chuckled at the text, missing my best friend.

"I forgot my alarm this morning. I'm sorry. We'll walk together tomorrow. Promise :)" I replied. Suddenly, my phone started ringing, and it was Ino trying to call.

"Hey Ino!" I greeted cheerfully. Ino always put me in a good mood, she was always the optimistic one.

"Sakura I was asking you about what happened at work this morning with some red-headed woman! Not about where you were this morning." She exclaimed. I playfully rolled my eyes at her, laughing at her curiosity. Gosh, word got around fast.

"Oh, yeah, Karin. Yeah she's Sasuke's fiancé. She came in furious with me because Sasuke was trying to get in touch with me last night." I blurted out, rubbing my eyes.

"Are you serious? Talk about crazy. I can't help but think part of that is my fault, being that I gave him your number and all." She confessed, feeling uneasy about the situation.

"No, no. Sasuke is a grown man. He makes his own choices. He didn't have to message me but he chose to get in touch with his ex girlfriend. I hope she ripped him a good one after so shooed her off." I laughed. I stood back up and walked into the kitchen, wanting a snack. I glanced at the clock, which read 9:34 PM. Mmmm, maybe so should hold off on the snack.

"Well when you put it that way..." Ino started off. A knock at my door threw me off, and I stepped out of the kitchen.

"Hold on, Ino, someone's at my door." I interrupted. I stood on my tiptoes and looked through the peephole as Ino started to ask about who could be at my door this late.

"Uh, Ino, I gotta go." I said abruptly.

"What? Why? Who is it?" Ino asked, her tone riddles with worry.

"It's Sasuke." I said. Without thinking, I hung up the phone. I took no second thought to it and swung my door open. Sasuke looked up, and gave me a displeasing look.

"What the hell are you doing here?" I questioned, my arms crossing over my chest. Sasuke stared at me, licking his lips. I rose an eyebrow at him, anticipating his response.

In a flash, his lips collided with mine, his hands caressing my cheeks. My eyes grew wide and I shoved him off of me, wiping my mouth with my wrist. He glanced down at the ground, afraid to look up and see my face.

"I just had to." He confessed. Confusion was plastered all over my face, as well as anger.

"You HAD to? Why?" I yelled, my face turning red. I knew the neighboring apartments could hear me but, in that moment, I didn't care.

"I just had to know." He said in a hushed tone, not wanting to bring any more disturbance to the peace.

I turned my head to see Ino and Shikamaru watching the scene unfold before them. I stammered back into my apartment, feeling my cheeks become even more flushed, only this time from embarrassment. Sasuke glanced over to the audience of two watching us - then back at me.

"Please don't, Sakura. I'm sorry." He apologized.

"You need to leave. Now." I demanded. I slammed my door shut. I stared at the door for a minute, still in shock. How could he do that?

Sasuke made a move to knock at the door, but Ino interjected.

"Sasuke, don't." She whispered. Shikamaru grabbed her by the hand and pulled her away back to their apartment. She looked back at Sasuke and shook her head at him in disappointment.

Sasuke lowered his hand and stood there for a few more moments. When he heard the door lock, he stepped away and headed back home.

"Damn, What was I thinking?" He asked himself.

-

-

-

-

Third chapter finished! Honestly didn't think I was going to have them kiss so early on, but I just couldn't help it. I love me some drama! Chapter Four coming soon!


	4. Chapter Four - Let’s Talk

Two days went by and Sasuke made no attempt to contact me. I was relieved for the most part, but a part of me felt the need to talk to him.

Today was Friday. My weekend would more than likely consist of me lounging around my apartment while dishes and laundry piled up. I shut my computer down and gathered my things. I walked briskly to the elevator and made my way down to the lobby.

I stepped out of the cart and noticed a man with long dark hair stepping into another elevator a few feet down.

Of course, it was Sasuke. He turned on his heels in the elevator and pressed a button. He looked up into the lobby to find me staring at him. His arm paused mid air for a few moments, his eyes were locked onto mine. His gaze fell as his arm did, in a shameful way. And in that moment, I felt like an asshole.

I hurriedly stepped back into the cart I just removed myself from, and mashed the button to bring me to the top floor. My feet danced as I nervously moved about the small room.

"Oh, my god what am I doing?" I whispered to myself. My hands suddenly felt clammy as the door opened wide.

I took a deep breath in and maneuvered my way to Sasuke's office. There wasn't much to the top floor. A woman sat at reception, taking calls and directing them just as I did downstairs. A few offices filled the floor up, clear windows from floor to ceiling separated several offices. There were two doors two the right that caught my eye. They were not made of glass, but wood. I figured that was Sasuke's office, but asked for direction just to be sure.

"Excuse me, is Mr. Uchiha in?" I questioned innocently. The woman up front nodded and pointed to the wooden double doors. I bid her a thank you and made my way to the entrance. My hand paused at the golden handles, my hands still sweaty from before.

I pushed through the door to find Sasuke walking back and forth behind his desk, looking out through his windows which stretched from floor to ceiling. Wow, what a view. He was on the phone with someone, talking about some business deal. At the sound of his door opening, he shot his head over in my direction. He stopped walking and froze in place. He muttered a couple of words to the person over the line and hung up. He put his cell phone in his pocket and looked at me with puzzling eyes.

"We need to talk about what happened." I blurted out.

"Okay, then. Please, sit." He said as he ushered me over to a lounge area off to the side. Sasuke's office was very spacious. He had a seating area that consisted of two sofas and a small coffee table. Behind the seating arrangement was a decent sized bar, filled with several brands of alcohol and glasses. On the other side of his office stood massive bookcases.

I sat on the far side of one sofa, and Sasuke moved past me to grab two tumblers to fill with drinks. He came back and sat directly across from me, sliding the drink he made me across the coffee table. I hesitated to grab it, but gave in anyway, knowing damn well I'd need it after this talk.

Moments went by and nothing was said. I fumbled my fingers around the glass I held between my hands. Finally, I mustered up the courage to start the conversation off.

"Why did you kiss me?" I asked, my heart pounding so hard I could feel it in my ears. Why was this making me so nervous?

Sasuke looked at me and sighed heavily. What he said next kind of shocked me.

"I guess I just needed to know if I was making the right choice by choosing Karin. I don't know. When I say it out loud it sounds stupid." He rubbed his face with both hands. I knew it was stressing him out saying these words to me. "Karin has always been a wonderful woman to me, but I've just never felt complete with her. I mean, at one point, I did. She pulled me out of a dark place and I was just thankful for that. I guess I've just confused myself with my own feelings." His confession tugged at my feelings, but I had to know more. He wasn't making any sense.

"What does that have to do with me? If you're having doubts about marrying her then you need to take that up with her. Not your ex girlfriend." I spat out. How could he ever think that kissing me would be a good idea?

"The love I had for you was different than what I have with Karin, now. It's just so hard to explain in words." He murmured under his breath.

"Look, I don't know what you've got going on with your fiancé, but you need to leave me out of it. I'm not a tool that you can use to figure out what you want in life. You need to man up and speak to her yourself. Sounds to me like you already know what you want to do." I stood up and made my way towards the door, not wanting to be a part of this talk anymore.

"Sakura, please stop." Sasuke places his drink on the table and stood to follow me. I put my hand up in protest, not wanting him to follow suit.

"Sasuke, you JUST got engaged like a month ago. Are you telling me you're wanting to back out of it just because our paths crossed again? Because that's what it's looking like to me." I threw my hands up and turned away from him, unable to look at undoing.

"Sigh. I don't know how to explain it to you any better, Sakura." Sasuke sat back down in his seat, defeated.

"You need to pull yourself together, Sasuke. You're embarrassing yourself." The words came out of my mouth in a hateful tone. Ashamed of my negative attitude, I walked out of his office, and didn't bother to look back.

-

-

-

A month went by and everything seemed to be back to normal. Ino and I made our daily walks to work, and I managed to avoid Sasuke for the most part. There were times where we'd see each other in the lobby, but only looks were given. Sasuke tried to get in touch with me a couple times after so last saw him. I told him to leave me alone until he got his shit together.

It was 10:30am on a Saturday. Time to go grocery shopping. I slipped on a simple white sundress and sandals and headed out the door. The streets of New York weren't as busy as they were during business days. Sidewalks were more so filled with families and tourists. I made my way to the local market via taxi. After all, I was only grabbing a handful of things.

The smell of the market made me feel refreshed. I walked around the aisles and picked up the few items I needed. The cashier was pleasant to me as I checked out. So far, this day was going pretty well.

"Thank you. Have a great day!" I called out as I walked through the sliding doors of the store. I held my hand up to catch the attention of another cab driver. I slid into the back seat of the car and pulled out my phone. I haven been in social media in a couple of days.

_UCHIHA BREAKS IT OFF _was the first thing to pop up onto my news feed. All of the blood left my face, and the hand holding my phone began to shake a little. My phone dropped to the floor and so sat there in a daze. _He...broke it off with Karin? _

I stumbled back into my apartment, accidentally dropping the bread I brought onto the floor. I picked it up and set it on the counter along with the rest of my groceries. I rushed to the couch and turned on the TV, looking for any entertainment channel I could find.

_Surely they'd be talking about one of the most famous couples in New York, right? _I thought to myself. I hugged my knees to my chest, feeling my heart pound. I finally made it to a channel I thought would satisfy my anxious thoughts. Minutes went by and still nothing had been said about the newly broken couple. Maybe it wasn't even true. It may have been just a rumor.

I pulled my phone out again and texted Ino. She always stayed on top of media like this. I shot her a quick text asking if she'd heard anything about Sasuke. She didn't reply right away. I sank into the couch and pulled a blanket over me. I grabbed the remote and switched it to a more appeasing channel. Ten minutes later, I was fast asleep.

About an hour later, I was woken up by a knock at my door. I threw the blanket off of me and hurried to the door, looking through the peephole.

Ino.

I swung the door open and she practically ran through the entryway, talking a thousand words a minute.

"Sakura, oh my God. How can you not know that Sasuke broke it off with his fiancé? You need to check your phone more often. I texted you like 30 minutes ago and called you several times. I've been dying to talk to you about this but I didn't want to be the one to bring it up. I mean-"

"Ino, geez, slow your roll!" I interrupted her. "Why did he break it off?" I questioned.

"Well, apparently, they were at a luncheon with some colleagues and Sasuke was being real distant with her. She because angry with him, and so they left early, arguing on the way out. And then the next day, Sasuke was supposed to arrive at some event with Karin, but showed up alone. And Karin went to that same event at a later time. No ring on her hand. Paparazzi got pictures of both of them. They both looked pissed." Ino explained. The story was very vague, but I knew Sasuke was a private man. There was more to this couple than meets the eye.

"I wonder what happened. I hope it wasn't because of me." I sighed to myself. Not realized I said that out loud.

"Why would it be because of you?" Ino interjected, curiously moving her way back to me, arms crossed.

I smiled sheepishly and said, "Well, I went into his office last month and told him he needed to leave me alone until he got everything figured out with Karin. He told me he felt incomplete with her and that the reason he kissed me was to figure out if he was marrying the right person or not. I know it sounds ridiculous. I told him that it sounded like he already knew what he wanted to do." I played with my hair as I looked back on that last memory between us.

"Are you serious? Sakura, that man still has a thing for you. How can you not see that?" Ino yelled out. Surprised by her outburst, I countered it.

"He does NOT love me. Don't you say that." I exclaimed. Ino gave me a look and I instantly apologized for my rude behavior.

Ino held up her hands and accepted the apology. "I'm serious Sakura. I know it's hard to see it from your point of view, but that man loves you. He just sucks at admitting it. But breaking it off with his fiancé is a great start. I've got to go get ready now. I've got a date with my man and I don't want to be late!" Ino waved goodbye to be and as quick as she came in, she was gone.

How could she think that he loves me? That was a bold statement to make. This man came back into my life not even two months ago, and he was causing all kinds of drama. It was always drama with him.

My thoughts made their way back to the day Sasuke and I broke up.

_I walked up the walkway and up the stairs of our front porch. I swung open the front door and slammed it behind me. Sasuke was not far behind me, opening the door and slamming it shut himself. _

_"What is wrong with you?! Quit acting like a child, Sakura." Sasuke spat out. I whipped around and yelled right back at him._

_"Me?! A child?! Says the man who cant even listen or communicate like a freaking adult! You always shut me out, Sasuke! It's like I don't even have a place to fit into your life anymore!" Tears swelled up into my eyes and onto my face. I couldn't take this treatment anymore. _

_"I need someone who talks to me. Who is actually there for me. Someone who treats me with the love and attention I believe I deserve. I don't think I'm asking for much and even still you can't seem to give anything to me in return." At this point I was sobbing. Sasuke stood before me, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white. _

_"Sakura, I have been through a lot over the past year. I lost both of my parents. And I-" I interrupted him, knowing exactly where he was going with that next sentence._

_"You think you're the only one who suffered during that time?! I loved your parents too, Sasuke! They treated me better than my own did! I tried, I REALLY tried being there for you, Sasuke, but you shut me and EVERYONE THAT LOVED YOU OUT FOR MONTHS." I screamed, tears still falling down my face and only my shirt. My chest felt tight, scared to say the words I so desperately needed to say._

_"I can't do this anymore, Sasuke." I whispered. I wasn't sure if he had heard me or not, so I looked up at him. He was staring at me, tears stinging his eyes, his jaw tight, trying to hold them back. _

_"I just can't. You're never home anymore. And when you are you hardly spend any time with me. You're like a stranger around me. We don't communicate, we don't hang out, we don't have sex, hell we don't even sleep in the same room anymore so what's the damn point?!" I huffed, exhausted from my emotions. _

_"You're not being serious. Sakura, you know I love you, please." Sasuke reaches out for my hand but I backed away._

_"I know you do Sasuke. I love you, too. But I need someone to SHOW me that love. I need it to be expressed outwardly." I stepped over to the couch, and took a seat, needing to catch my breath. Sasuke started to follow me, but I stopped him._

_"Sasuke, it's over between us. I'm sorry but I just can't take it anymore." I stood back up and grabbed my purse. I walked out the door an never looked back. Leaving everything I owned and loved, behind. _

My phone lit up and it was a text message from Sasuke.

"Hey." Was all it said.

"Hey." I responded back.

"Can we have another talk over coffee?" He asked. I waited a few moments before finally replying back.

"Sure. What time?" I messaged back.

-

-

-

**End of chapter four!! We'll learn more about Sasuke and Karin's relationship in the next chapter! Let me know what you guys think so far!**


	5. Chapter Five - Looking Back

I sat in a corner of a local coffee shop, grabbing the last booth by a window. A waitress came by and took my order. I twiddled my thumbs and watched as people passed by me outdoors. I saw Sasuke walk past the window just as the waitress came back with my hot drink. I watched him glide across the sidewalk, both hands in his pockets. He was dressed in grey slacks and a white button-up. Classic and sexy.

Our eyes met as he opened the door of the cafe. He gave me a small smile and it warmed my heart. I was actually looking forward to this talk with him. Questions piled up in the back of my brain and it was time I started asking. I stood as he came closer to me, feeling the need to hug him. He was, after all, going through a break up. Or maybe I just wanted to feel him again. Who knows for sure?

He noticed me holding out an arm to him and dove in for a half-hug, simple but still sweet. I could feel how toned he was under that soft shirt of his. My cheeks felt a little warm and I quickly took a seat again.

"How are you, Sasuke?" I asked, grabbing a hold of my drink, blowing on it gently. He got comfortable, setting his phone and keys on the table and leaning back into the booth.

"Well, I've got a slight bump on my head from where Karin threw her ring at me, but other than that, I actually feel pretty good." He admitted, rubbing the top of his head.

"Ouch. I'm sorry. So what did you want to talk about?" I wondered.

"Well I know you've seen plenty of articles and such about Karin and I. I wanted you to hear the full story from me, being that it kind of involves you." He confessed. My eyes grew wide from him words. I set my drink down and placed my hands in my lap.

"What do you mean it involves me?" Worry grew all over my face, and Sasuke noticed right away.

"I didn't mention your name or anything. I just told her that my feelings for her have dwindled. And that I didn't want to lead her on with false feelings." Sasuke waved the waitress over and took his own order, a chocolate muffin and small black coffee.

"You two broke it off just like that? Wow. I thought you two had in for the long haul." I mentioned under my breath.

"Well, it wasn't easy. I mean, I love her. I'm just not in love with her. I guess I just thought she was the best I could do, and so I proposed to her." He shrugged his shoulders and tore into the chocolate muffin the waitress brought to him. He looked up at me to see a concerned look on my face, so he continued.

"That all changed when I saw you again. I never thought our paths would cross again. You walked out of my life so fast." He looked at me with saddened eyes, but it didn't phase me.

"So you're telling me that you broke off your engagement with Karin because our paths crossed? That's kind of crazy, Sasuke. I mean, who does that?" I threw a hand up at him and took a sip of my drink.

"Someone who knows they're not with the right person." He said, his eyes peering up at me.

"How did you two even get together in the first place?" My eyes were glued to his face, trying to read his emotions as he began to speak. What did Sasuke really see in this woman?

"We met through a mutual friend when I was living in California. It was like a year after you and I broke up and so my friend thought it'd be nice to set us up for whatever reason. Do we really have to talk about her? I'd rather talk about us." he said between sips of coffee.

"There is no us, Sasuke, so please continue." He gave me a displeased took, but took a deep breath in and began again.

"There used to be though. Anyways, we set up a date to meet and it went horrible. I was late, she spilled wine on her lap, our food came out wrong, I mean, it couldn't have gone worse. We said our goodbyes after the evening was over, and we went on another date like a week later." he explained. He leaned back in his seat with his coffee in hand. He gazed out the window before bringing the mug up to his smooth lips. He caught me staring at them.

"You sure you don't want to talk about us? You seem to like what you see." He smirked, leaning his arm on the table to be closer to me. I frowned at his comment and moved back further.

"Hey, you said you wanted to catch up so that's what I'm trying to do. So keep talking." I pushed, wanting more information out of him.

"Sigh, well we went on a few more dates before I asked her to be my girlfriend. The media went crazy once they found out we were together. At first, it was too much for her to handle, but she grew to love it. What she didn't love was all the attention I got from other women." He shrugged his shoulders and finished off his muffin.

I knew Sasuke had always been a chick magnet. Women would almost literally throw themselves at him just to get his attention. Very rarely did he ever give into the attention. Most of the time he ignored any woman who tried to reach out to him.

"So she's the jealous type?" I raised my eyebrow and inwardly smiled. Made sense why she basically attacked me at my office.

"Oh, yes. That was probably our biggest obstacle as a couple. Especially after the engagement." Sasuke glanced at me and saw me smiling.

"Is something funny?" He asked, his brows furrowing.

"What? Oh, no, not at all. Karin actually visited me at my office a while ago. She was all pissed because she saw you trying to call me several times. I was just thinking about how it all makes sense now." My coffee was becoming too cool, so I chugged the rest of it.

"Wait, she went to your office? Why didn't you tell me sooner?" He crosses his arms and gave me a surprising look.

"What good would it have done if I did? I didn't want to get in between you two, yet, I still did because you decided that you wanted to reach out to me late at night." I could feel an argument brewing.

"You know what? It doesn't matter. What's done is done. I broke it off with her and I don't plan on going back." His phone began to ring and he asked if he could take it. I nodded in response. He stepped away from our booth and stood by the door. He seemed a little agitated as his conversation on the phone grew longer. He rubbed a hand through his hair when he finished the call. He walked back over and slumped back in his chair.

"Everything okay?" I leaned into the table, looking his face over.

"Yeah. I've got to go on a business trip for a couple of months. It's in California. Karin is supposed to be going with me and I am NOT looking forward to it." He tossed his phone on the table and it slid my way. I made no move to slide it back to him. Instead, I just watched him unfold before me. I could see the stress in his face, his body tense. In that moment, I reminisced on what it felt like to massage his tight muscles. His body oiled up and slick as my hands glided over his figure. I'll admit _that_ I did miss.

I snapped back to reality and talked with Sasuke about his trip for a few more moments. We were both well done with our drinks and snack. Neither one of us seemed to want the conversation to end.

"I like that we did this. We should do it more often." Sasuke purred, handing his plate and cup to the waitress. She gave Sasuke a smile and proceeded to grab my mug as well. The check was placed on the table in between us, and Sasuke beat me to grabbing it.

"Sorry, sweet girl, you got to be quicker." He smirked and quickly slid a couple of bills in the book. I shot him a look.

"Don't call me that, Sasuke. I'll get it next time." I huffed, looking away from his amused look.

"So there will be a next time? I like that." He glanced at me with a wanting look, making my insides tingle. I could feel a slight blush coming on and tried to distract him by sliding his phone back over to him. He tucked his phone into his pant pocket and didn't bother to acknowledge my blushing. Thank goodness.

"If I pay next time, then sure." I shrugged my shoulders and grabbed my purse. I stood from the booth and waited for him to stand, which he did so shortly after. We walked out of the coffee shop together. As I passed through the doorway, I could feel his hand lightly brush the small of my back, guiding me out. At first, I wanted to push him away, but I let it go and let it happen. I'd do more harm by pushing him away, anyways.

"Shall I take you home?" He asked as he made his way to his private car. A man stepped out, dressed in a full suit and a small earpiece placed in his left ear. Hmm, since when did Sasuke need security?

The man stepped around the SUV and swung the back door open, inviting me in.

"Mm, my apartment isn't too far. I think I can walk." I fiddled with my purse and was about to bid them both goodbye, until Sasuke interjected.

"Well then I'll walk you home." He waved his security guard goodbye and assured him that he'd be fine. I couldn't even bring myself to protest against his words. I just rolled with it. I revealed a small smile as we walked beside me, his hands in his pockets, his eyes looking down at his footsteps.

"You know you didn't have to walk me home." I laughed a little and he looked my way. His eyes smiling back at me.

"I know, I just wanted to spend more time with you." He admitted, his eyes still glued to my face, trying to gain a reaction.

"Sasuke, nothing is going to happen between us. I'm serious." I stopped walking and he took a couple more steps before he realized I was no longer at his side. He turned around and walked towards me, leaning down a little before he gave his reply.

"I know that, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy spending time with you. So stop being negative about it." He shot me a serious look and I stood there shocked. I wasn't expecting that response. To be honest, I wasn't sure what I was expecting.

We made it to my apartment after a little while. Sasuke walked me all the way to my door. I unlocked it and stepped in, but not before turning around to thank him. My mouth opened to speak, but he beat me to it.

"Hey, listen. I'm having a little get together at my place with a bunch of old friends of ours, tomorrow evening. I meant to ask you sooner but I wasn't sure if you'd want to come. But, anyways, would you like to go? Nothing big or fancy, just everyone hanging out."

"Um, yeah, I guess I can stop by. What time?" I asked.

"Around 6ish. I'll be ordering some food in for dinner so come hungry." I nodded that I would in response.

"Well, I guess I'd better get going. I'll see you tomorrow." He said

"Yes you will. Thank you for walking me home, you really didn't have to." I l eaned against my door and smiled at him.

"Don't mention it, sweet girl. I was happy to." He smiled back at me and shoved his hands in his pockets again.

"Stop calling me that! I'm not telling you again." I said as I stepped towards him to playfully push his shoulder. He took a step back to catch his balance, and a husky laugh came out of his mouth.

"Sorry, old habits die hard, I guess. Goodbye, Sakura." He gave a small wave goodbye and was gone in an instant. I lingered at my door, blushing ever so slightly. I stepped back inside and quietly shut the door. I walked to my bedroom and threw my purse on the floor. I jumped up on my bed and grabbed a snack from my nightstand drawer. I cuddled up with my covers and flipped on the tv.

_Who am I kidding? I love it when he calls me that._

_-_

_-_

_-_

_Next Chapter coming soon!_


	6. ChapterSix-OldFriends

I woke up to the sound of birds chirping right outside my window. The sunlight creeped its way in through the shades, gently lighting my bedroom. I wrapped myself in my soft linen sheets and sighed, staring at the ceiling.

_Thank goodness this is a three day weekend. I'll actually get to enjoy spending some time with my old friends. _

I sat up in my bed and created a group text through my phone, adding my group of friends in the contact list. I sent a quick text letting them know I was coming and couldn't wait to catch up.

**Sakura: hey everyone, it's Sakura. Can't wait to see you all tonight at Sasuke's! Looking forward to catching up :)**

I smiled at my phone, and set it back on my nightstand. I flung the sheets off of me and slid off the bed, suddenly eager to get the day started. I walked over to my closet and rummaged through my clothes. I needed to find something to wear tonight, but I wasn't sure what I wanted.

Should I keep it causal? Jeans and a T-shirt, or a dress maybe? No, a dress is too fancy. Well a simple sundress might work. Ugh.

I took a step back and crossed my arms, thinking way too hard about what Icwas going to wear. My eyes kept falling on a red dress. It was a simple dress that came down mid thigh. The neckline made a shallow V shape that didn't reveal anything (especially with my size), along with spaghetti straps. It was one of my favorite dresses. It had no waistline and flowed beautifully.

I pulled the dress off the hanger and walked into the bathroom. I stood in front of the mirror and held the dress over my body. Surely, it'd still fit, right? I quickly took my pjs off and slipped the little dress on.

Oh yeah, it fits.

I walked back into my closet and paired the dress with some tan sandals. When I walked out, I could hear my phone buzzing several times. I walked to my nightstand and picked up my phone to see several text messages.

**Naruto: Sakura! I didn't know you were coming! I'm so psyched!**

**Ino: Girl yes I'm so excited you're coming! Can't wait! **

**Hinata: It's been a long time! Looking forward to seeing everyone together again!**

There were a few more texts between Hinata and Naruto and a few others. I had always figured that Naruto would ask Hinata out on a date, but he had yet to do so. The chemistry between the two was astounding, though. You'd think they were together if you didn't know them. Yet, neither one of them have taken the plunge to take it any further. Everyone knows they have the hots for each other. Maybe we could get a little something going for them tonight. Who knows?

I stepped back into the bathroom and ran some water to fill the tub. I slipped the dress off and placed it back on its hanger. I hung the dress on a towel hook near the tub. My hair was slightly tangled from my slumber, so I brushed it before throwing it up into a sleek top knot.

The water from the tub warmed the room up. I slowly stepped into it, the temperature of the water giving me goosebumps. I rested my hands on either side of the tub and lowered myself until my butt hit the bottom. My head rested against one end, and stretched my legs as far as the tub would let me. This is exactly what I needed.

-

-

-

Shikamaru, Ino and I took a taxi to Sasuke's place. It took us 20 minutes to arrive. We stepped out onto the side walk and entered a fancy apartment building. The building stood high. It was sleek and modern, dark walls and ivory accents decorated the lobby. We spoke to a woman at the front desk who escorted us to a private elevator.

Sasuke would have his own elevator. I inwardly roles my eyes as we stepped in. I clutched my purse tighter, suddenly aware of how clammy my hands were. I watched as the numbers grew higher and higher as we rose to the top of the building. The cart came to a slow halt, and we patiently waited for the doors to open.

"Holy shit. This place is beautiful!" Ino exclaimed, gliding effortlessly into the large penthouse. My eyes grew wide at the sight of the place. Dark grey hardwood floors covered the entire space. A chandelier hung just above us as we all stepped out. Just to the left of us was a set of stairs that spiraled upward to the next floor. A two-story penthouse.

I took the time to wander about, taking in all the luxurious furniture and decor. Neutral colors flooded everywhere. The kitchen had marble counters and a matching waterfall island. The cabinets painted a light gray, and covered half of the kitchen walls. The entertainment space consisted of a large white sectional, with a loveseat to match. A TV was mounted on the wall above a fireplace.

I made my way to the dining room, walking around the elongated table to get a better glance at the view of New York. The floor to ceiling windows provided a beautiful skyline view of our beloved city. The sun sat behind two skyscrapers, blanketing the sky with its golden colors.

"Gorgeous, isn't it?" A male bellowed out. I whipped my head around, startled. There stood a tall male, whose hair mimicked the sun itself. A man I've known for years. A man I considered a part of my family.

"Geez, Naruto. You scared me!" I held my hand to me chest and gave a half-hearted laugh. He laughed and handed me a small glass, filled with some sort of alcohol.

"What's this?" I ask, taking the glass out of his grasp.

"Something to get you to ease up. You look tense." He said smoothly. I playfully pushed his shoulder. He knew me so well. Then again, I was never really good at hiding my emotions.

I sighed into the glass before taking a small sip. My face curled as the liquid hit the back of my throat. This stuff was strong.

"Whew, yeah, I never was a bourbon girl." I coughed out. Naruto bellowed our a deep laugh. He reached his arm out to give me a hug and we continued our small talk.

"I'm glad you came, Sakura. I know it can't be easy being in your ex-boyfriends home. But, at least you're surrounded by a bunch of old friends." He smiled a sheepish smile and downed some more of his own drink. My eyes smiled back at him, admiring the man before me. Naruto grew up to be a mature adult. Well, for the most part. He still had his times of immaturity, but he wouldn't be Naruto without that.

"Yes, I'm definitely a little nervous, but I can handle Sasuke. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to be with you all again!" We stared out the window for a few more minutes before heading to the living area. We made our way a couch, accompanied with Neji and Hinata. I gave them both a quick hug before sitting down.

"Sakura, you look beautiful! I love that dress on you." Hinata said. I thanked her kindly, and settled into my seat.

"Same goes to you, girl! That dress is killer." She blushed at my compliment. The dress she wore was a light gray, and it hugged her body just right. It came down mid-thigh, and was delicately covered in white flowers.

"Thank you, Sakura." She looked down at her hands, suddenly becoming very shy. I turned my attention to Neji.

"Neji, where's TenTen?" I asked.

"I think she went to the bathroom. She probably got lost, honestly. This place is huge." He said as he took a look around.

A few minutes went by and still no sign of Sasuke. Some host he was. I continued my conversation on the couch. By now, TenTen has returned from her bathroom adventure. The conversation grew deeper as we all spoke of old memories together. We reminisced about the good and bad of our friendships.

"Oh finally! Where have you been, Sasuke?" Naruto yelled, rising to his feet and walking towards his pale friend. Sasuke stepped out of the elevator carrying several boxes of pizza. Naruto stepped in and grabbed half of the boxes. They both sat them on the kitchen island, spreading them out across the marble top.

"Well, I was going to have dinner catered, but I wasn't sure what everyone liked, so I changed my mind and went out for pizza. Sorry I'm late, everyone." He walked to the kitchen and pulled out several types of alcohol. This get together was about to do a 180 real fast.

"Now that everyone's here, we can get this party started. Drinks and food are spread out in the kitchen. Feel free to eat all you want."

-

-

-

It was now one in the morning and the party was starting to mellow out. Most of our friends had already gone home for the night. Hinata and Naruto were passed out on the sectional with a blanket thrown messily over the both of them. Ino was chowing down on one more slice of pepperoni pizza in the kitchen, trying very hard to focus on her phone. She was clearly very drunk.

My eyes continued to gaze around the place. Solo cups and napkins were scattered all over the floor. A couple of empty pizza boxes were thrown onto barstools. Empty beer bottles and wine glasses were found in every corner of the house.

Getting up from my chair in the kitchen, I started picking up some of the trash. I continued my way around the penthouse, picking up empty bottles and the last pieces of trash and placing them in the garbage bin.

I made my way over to Naruto and Hinata and carefully pried their drinks out of their hands. Naruto woke for a moment and smiled as he noticed Hinata was cuddled up against him. He played with her hair for a minute before drifting off to sleep again. A smile made its way to my lips as I studied them. The blanket that laid on them was close to falling on the floor. I grabbed it and gently placed it over both of them.

I made my way over to Ino who was now passed out in a chair in the dining room. I nudged her it wake up.

"Ino, why didn't you go home with Shikamaru?" I whispered. She mumbled something under her breath that I couldn't quite understand.

"What did you say? Do you need me to take you home?" I asked.

"Mmmm, no. Shika got sick. Sasuke said I could spend the night here." She placed her head back on to the dining room table. I chuckled at the sight of her. I nudged her again and attempted to help her up.

"Come on, Ino, lets at least find you a bed." I walked her down a long hallway and hesitantly opened a door. I peered in and saw a small bedroom decorated slightly. I pulled her into the room and she plopped onto the bed. I did my best to tuck her in and said good night to her. I quietly made my way out and silently shut the door.

_Well I guess it's time I head home._

I searched the area for my purse, finally finding it underneath the loveseat. I rummaged through my purse to find my phone, dialing numbers to call a cab.

The hallway bathroom door opened and I could see a dark figure coming back into the living room. It was Sasuke. He stumbled into the light and looked right at me, barely able to keep his eyes open.

"Are you l-leaving, S-Sakura?" He asked as he made his way toward me.

"Well, yeah. It's a little after one, and I'm pretty tired. Ino is asleep in one of your bedrooms, by the way." I replied, brushing my hair behind me.

"You should stay h-here tonight, too." He was standing In front of me now, trying his best to keep his balance while looking at me.

"No, Sasuke. I already called a cab. I'm definitely not going to stay here. You should go to bed, you're drunk." I laughed a little at my last comment. It's been a long time since I'd ever seen Sasuke as drunk as this.

My phone buzzed, my cab was waiting for me. I waved at Sasuke and said goodbye. I walked to the elevator and pressed the button to take me down. As I waited for the elevator to open, I felt a presence right behind me. My head turned slightly, and Sasuke was standing right behind me. I quickly whipped around and backed up.

"What are you doing? Go to bed." I demanded, crossing my arms.

"No, I want you to stay." He stumbled forward once more and tripped over his own feet. My instincts took over and my arms stretched out to catch him. Well, attempted to catch him. His weight pushed me backwards against the elevator door.

"Ack, Sasuke, you idiot! Get off of me!" I tried pushing him to the side but it was too late. The elevator doors opened and we fell into it. I landed on my back in the elevator, with a wasted Sasuke on top of me.

Sasuke pushed himself up and rested on his elbows, still hovering over me. I looked up at him and in an instant, his lips were on mine. My eyes widened, and I pushed him off with as much force as I could. He rolled off of me and slowly stood up. At this point, I was fuming. I quickly got back on my feet and gathered my purse.

"S-Sakura I-" he started.

_*SLAP*_

My hand stung but I didn't care_. _I got in his face and started yelling at him.

"How dare you! You're such a piece of shit, Sasuke! I told you there was nothing between us! You JUST broke up with your fiancé and you're trying to rebound, you ass!" I spat out words with no regret. I knew he'd never change. Any ounce of hope that he'd change one day was gone. He was still the same asshole he was five years ago. Not a care in the world for anyone else but himself.

I pushed him out of the elevator and pressed the button to take me to the lobby. The doors shut after what felt like forever, and I leaned against the railing. My hands went up to my face, and my eyes started to sting. I started to cry.

_Why the fuck am I __crying?_

The elevator came to a halt and I stepped out into the lobby and headed towards th exit.

I hopped into my cab and looked back at the building.

_I knew it was a mistake coming here tonight. I just knew it. _

_-_

_-_

_-_

_**Hey guys! Sorry it's been a while since I've updated! I've had A LOT of stuff going on at home. Hoping to have more chapters coming to you real soon! **_

_**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! **_


	7. Chapter Seven - Connections

The workday was going by slow, as usual. My arms felt tense as I stretched. I didn't sleep very well last night. For the first time in forever, I dreamt about Sasuke. He has been gone for about a month now. He left for his business trip alongside his ex-fiancé Karin. I thought back to when he called me right before he boarded his plane.

-

_"Thanks for waking me up you jerk. What the hell do you want, Sasuke?" I spat out, clenching my teeth together. I stared at my alarm clock which read 7:42AM. How dare he wake me up this early on a Sunday. _

_" I wanted to apologize about what happened last night. You know I wasn't myself. I was wasted. I can't remember the last time I drank that much. You didn't deserve that. How are you feeling?" His apology caught me off guard. I stared at the ceiling for a moment before giving my response._

_"Sigh, I know. I should apologize as well. I'm sure you've got a good bruise on your left cheek by now." I couldn't help but smirk. He did deserve it. _

_"Hn, yeah it's pretty sore. I guess I deserved it, though. I was a jerk." He replied. _

_"Yes, you were. You also weren't yourself, just like you said. I know you were just confused with your emotions and feelings with everything going on between Karin and I. It's funny, I can't remember the last time you opened up and apologized to me. Even when we were together, you had a hard time communicating." The words left my mouth before I could process them. Why am I talking about our relationship? I shouldn't even be talking to him at all. He stayed quiet for a minute and I asked if he was still on the line. _

_"Yeah I'm still here. I know I've had trouble communicating, but I've been trying to work on that." He sighed into the phone. _

_"Well, maybe you should mend your relationship with Karin, you know, since you're working on that." I may have come off a bit too harsh with that statement. _

_"I would rather mend my relationship with you, Sakura." He whispered, as if he didn't want other people to hear. _

_"Save it, Sasuke. That's not happening." I abruptly ended the call and somehow went back to sleep for a couple more hours._

_-_

Everything seemed to be getting easier with Sasuke being away on his trip. After that phone call, he never attempted to call or text me. Every day without a notification from him sent a wave or relief throughout my body. It also sent a wave of sadness.

I couldn't understand why I was starting to hope that he would reach out to me. I told him that nothing would happen between us. I told him that our relationship could not be mended.

Am I in denial of my feelings? I think I'm starting to go crazy. I need a night out. I finished out my work day and asked Ino and Hinata if they wanted to go out for dinner tonight. Both girls agreed to meet at a sushi bar at 7PM.

The girls and I shared some Japanese rice balls and continued with our small talk.

"Hinata I haven't seen you since we all got together at Sasuke's! What have you been up to?" Ino asked as she stuffed her face with food. I gave her a puzzled look as she continued to chew. "What? I didn't eat lunch today."

"Well, uh, I've been spending some time with Naruto, actually." Hinata blurted out, shocking Ino and I, both.

"Are, are you two together?!" I exclaimed, my smile spread from ear to ear in excitement.

Hinata's face turned bright red and she nodded her head, yes. My mouth gaped in shock.

"After you left that night, Sakura, we actually hooked up."

...

"What. The. Hell. Hinata." Ino paused mid chew and managed to get those four words out. Ino and I laughed with joy and excitement.

"Hinata, that is so unlike you! What was it like? Details." I was on the edge of my seat. Wait, did I really want to know how Naruto's game was? Eh, what the hell.

"Haha stop it guys! It was just drunk sex. I barely remember half of it. But, it was great." She became so nervous she could barely get her words out.

"Okay, okay, we won't bother you with it anymore. But I'm so happy for you Hinata! I can't believe you guys are finally together. I know you two have had your eyes on each other for a long time." I rested my head on my hands and gleamed. Two of my closest friends were finally together, genuinely happy.

"Thanks, Sakura." Hinata replied. Ino raised her glass and gave a small toast to the new couple. We ordered some dessert and more wine.

"So, Sakura, any more news on Sasuke? I mean, since he called you and tried to apologize a few weeks ago?" In asked. Ino just had to get all the new deets from everyone.

"No, actually. I haven't heard from him. Feels kind of strange. To be honest, it's been driving me a little crazy. I don't know what's going on with me." I confessed. I slumped down in my chair and looked into my wine glass, avoiding any eye contact. I could feel my friends staring at me.

"So, you're confused about your feelings for Sasuke? Why don't you just reach out to him, instead?" Ino asked.

"What! I can't do that. I told him that we're never getting back together. Plus, I don't think he's changed. He tried to make me his rebound after breaking it off with Karin." I responded.

"You haven't exactly spent enough time with him since you two even crossed paths, again. How do you know for sure that he hasn't changed?" Hinata chimed in.

"No, I've spent enough time with him to know." I barked back.

"Sakura, it's been five years. I know what you two had back then wasn't the best, but maybe things could be different the second time around." Ino interjected. I abruptly stood up, having enough of this conversation.

"I'm not giving him another chance. I'm not putting myself through any more drama. I'll talk to you girls later. Goodnight." I stormed off, my blood almost boiling. How could they think I should give him a second chance? Why weren't they seeing my side of things?

"You're just being stubborn Sakura! Like always! We love you!" Ino called out to me, unsure as to whether I heard her words.

But I heard them.

Was I being stubborn? Have I just been blocking off my feelings towards him? Maybe I'm just scared of being hurt again.

I got in a cab and headed home, wanting a warm bath to help clear my head.

* * *

I lowered myself into the bathtub and rested my head. I looked over to my left and grabbed my glass of wine, taking in a huge gulp. Soft music played in the background, the bathroom only lit by two candles nearby.

Ah, this is just what I needed.

I reached for my phone to change the genre of music, when, suddenly, I got two text messages.

**Sasuke: Sakura, how are things in New York?**

**Sasuke: Can't help but think about you.**

I rolled my eyes at the second message. Should I even reply to him? I placed my phone face down on the counter next to the tub. No, this is my relaxing time. My phone buzzed once more. Minutes went by as I fought the urge to look at the screen. I caved.

**Sasuke: Business deal is looking good so far. Should be back in about three weeks. **

I couldn't help but smile. As much as I hate to admit it, I loved seeing things going so well for him.

**Sakura: Things are good on the East Coast. Glad business is going well for you. We'll talk later. I'm trying to enjoy my "me time" while I still can. **

**Sasuke: Let me guess, bath, wine, music and candles? **

Ugh, he knew me too well. It's what I always did to help myself relax and unwind. When we were living together, he'd sometimes have the bathroom already set up for me after a long shift at work.

**Sakura: Lucky guess. Goodnight, Sasuke.**

**Sasuke: I don't think so. Goodnight, Sakura.**

I remained in the tub until the water began to cool and my toes and fingertips pruned. I rose from the water and pulled my towel from the rack and wrapped it around my damp body. I turned to a mirror and began to brush my hair out. My split end in desperate need of a trim.

My phone buzzed after a few minutes and I grabbed it immediately, expecting it to be Sasuke, but to no avail. Why am so disappointed that it wasn't him?

Perhaps Ino was right. Maybe I am being stubborn with myself. Maybe I don't want to admit that my feelings for Sasuke have started to rekindle. After debating with myself, I finally decided to send a late night text. At 12:33AM to be exact.

**Sakura: Hey. Hope I'm not waking you. **

One minute later.

**Sasuke: Considering it's only 9:34PM here, no you didn't wake me. Everything okay?**

**Sakura: Yes, just wanted to talk to you. **

**Sasuke: How the tables have turned. **

**Sakura: Whatever. Anyways..**

Sasuke and I exchanged messages for over an hour. I worked up the courage to explain to him how I've been battling myself with my feelings towards him. He joked with me, saying he already knew how I truly felt about him deep down. All joking aside, though, he told me he was happy to feel a connection with me once again.

Honestly, it felt great talking to him again. We reminisced about old times and even fantasized about new ones. It almost felt surreal how fast we were connecting with one another. As if, we never truly parted ways.

**Sakura: Well, it's almost 2AM over here, I should be going to bed. **

**Sasuke: Okay. I enjoyed our conversation. Talk tomorrow? **

**Sakura: Sure. Goodnight, Sasuke.**

**Sasuke: Goodnight, Sakura.**

* * *

Sasuke was due back in New York in just under a week. Time seemed to move even slower than it did before. Over the past couple of weeks, Sasuke and I continued our late night talks. He would give me details on how business was going, and how Karin made everything more difficult just to get under his skin.

I told him that I spoke with some of our friends here, about us. All of them seemed excited about our reconnection. I also told them that Sasuke and I would be taking a much slower approach. They agreed that that was probably for the best, considering our past.

I also told Sasuke that it would probably take me a while to trust him. We managed to talk about our past relationship, and what changes would need to be made in order to keep this new one running smoothly. Of course, there will be bumps in the road, but with better communication, maybe we can handle them.

-

My alarm blared and disturbed me from my slumber. I forced my head into my pillow and grumbled, not wanting to get up. Reluctantly, I willed myself out of bed and into the bathroom. I grabbed my toothbrush and began my morning routine.

Once I was dressed and ready for work, I went into the kitchen to grab a quick meal before heading out. I poured myself a bowl of cereal and sat at the table. Three spoonfuls in, I started browsing through my phone, getting the latest updates of the world. I scrolled and scrolled until a photo caught my eye. I made my way back to the article post and almost went into shock.

**_SASUKE BACK WITH EX- FIANCÉ?_**

It was a picture of Karin and Sasuke kissing at a table. They were both dressed up, given the fancy venue, with people around them cheering, as if they were celebrating.

_That fucking piece of shit. _

* * *

**Well guys, I have to say I'm excited about the drama! Next chapter coming soon! **


End file.
